Fruit-gatherer.



M. H. PATTON.

FRUIT GATHERBR.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 1, 191s.

1,088,170. Patented Feb.24, 1914.

hw.. A

awww@ WITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

lVIICHIEL II. P ATTON, OF KESTER, WEST VIRGINIA.

FRUIT-GATHERER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 24., 1914..

Application led May 1, 1913. Serial No. 764,969.

its object to provide a simple and efficienty device of this character which will readily remove fruit from the trees and conduct the same to the operator.

A further object of the invention resides in providing a device consisting of an eX- tensible tubular member having a plurality of hooks at the upper extremity thereof, and a still further object of the invention resides in providing an adjustable support for the tubular member.

Still another object of the invention resides in providing a device which is simple and durable in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and one which will be very eiiicient and useful in operation.

With these and other objects in view, the

invention consists in the novel features of Y which form the junctions between the arms -thereof having the hooks G thereon and the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the specification and claims. p

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, Figure l is a perspective view of the device completely set up for use and showing parts of the support broken away. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the severing or grab portion ofthe device. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section therethrough. Fig. 4l is a fragmentary longitudinal section through the tubular member; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the support carrying the sack for receiving the fruit, after the same has been removed from the trees.

In describing my invention, I shall refer to the drawing in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and in whichl indicates a metallic tubular member formed of telescoping sections which are adapted to be adjustably held together by means of the spring locking lugs 2, secured to the respective sections and the free end of the upper section of said member is flared outwardlyaas shown at 3.' The inner wallsr of the sections of said tubular member are linedvwith a soft material, suchas Iiannel, felt or the like, to prevent the bruising of the fruit as the latter passes therethrough and the lower section'of thetelesc'oping section l is provided with a handle memberA 4. Secured to the outer free edge of the fiared portion of the upper section of said member 1 is a band or the like 5, whichV is preferably rectangular `in plan and mounted on the one side arm of this rectangular band and 'projecting outwardly therefrom, are a trio of hook members 6. The opposite side arm thereof which, for convenience, will be termed the top side of the band, has a pair of' hooks 7' projecting therefrom, while the two remaining side arms are provided with a pair of outwardly projecting pins or guide arms` 8. As manyof these hooks 6 and 7 may be provided as are found desirable, although I have shown but a trio of hooks 6 and a pair of hooks 7 and these hooks, together 'with the pins or guide arms 8 project outwardly or longitudinally of the device, the same being covered with lrubber or other soft material.

Secured to the corners of the band 5,

arms having the pins 8 thereon, are the angular and outwardly projecting guide walls or the like 9. These guide walls which may Vbe formed of wood or metal, as desired, have wardly to points just beyond the outer ends of the hooks 6, the extreme outer ends of said walls being beveled, as shown at 10. The purpose ,of the same will be hereinafter and more particularly set forth. It must here be stated that the outer edges of the band 5 are sharpened to form guide edges, as shown at 10',A which obviously, forms a means for severing the fruit from the trees.

I have provided a support for-the member above described, which consists of a head piece 11 and a plurality of supporting legs l2 hingedly secured thereto. This head piece 11 is, in effect, a ring or circular band, having a diametrical bar 12 formed thereon and suspended from the central or' diametrical bar, between the upper hinged ends of the supporting legs 12, isa pulley 13, over which extends a flexible yconnection 14. The .one end .of the flexible connection 14 has an additional pulleyl connected thereto and suspended Afrom the axis of the pulley 15, is an arcuate bar or supporting member 16, the'latter being covered with felt or other soft material. ,This arcuate supporting bar 16 receives the vtubular member. 1 therethrough and the opposite end of the flexible connection T14 is adapted to be engaged with f j a securing hook or the like 17 carried on the one leg of the supporting device, whereby V to suspend the member 1 in the bar 16 at any desired height in the support. The member V1 may, therefore, be adjusted to various heights with respect to the ground Y and an additional flexible connection( 18 which has its ends connected, respectively,

with the end telescoping sections of the tubular 'memberr 1, extends over the pulley '15 which is suspended from the pulley 13 and through this medium, the tubular member 1 maybe readily adjusted and guided forwardly or rearwardly, `through the support. Anadditional supportv is also provided, which consists of a circular or bandlike head piece 19, towliich are secured a v plurality of supporting hooks 20, the lower ends of which are tapered to be readily engaged with the surface of the ground. A

plurality of hook members 21 are also secured to the head piece 19 and a sack or other flexible connection 22 isadapted to be suitably engagedwith thehook members on said head piece, whereby the fruit which is severed from the trees, through the medium of the gathering member above referred to,

may be deposited therein.

In practice, when it is desired to remove fruit from the trees, the support for the gathering member isproperly disposed adjacent the tree and said tubular member properly supported therein. The tubular member is then properly adjusted in the support and extended, whereupon the operator graspingthe handle l, of the lower sectionthereof, swings said tubular member to Vthe proper position to receive the fruit in the catching and severing portion of the device, at the upper end thereof. As this upper or catching en d of the device is disposed through the branches of the trees, it will be seen that the upstanding guard walls or wings 9 will protect the hook members from engaging the various branches, but shouldV for any reason whatsoever, the hook members become engaged with the branches,

The'device'is moved through the trees un- Y Ytilthe desired piece of fruit is received in j as fther space between the hook members 6 and and the pins or guide members 8, whereupon a torsional movement of the tubular member 1 will permit the hooks to be engaged with the stem of said piece of fruit, and a continued torsional and pulling movement will'sever said piece of fruit from the branch. Another means of severing the fruit, is by moving the device into position to receive the same in the space between the pins and hooks and then forcing the guide edges 10 of the band 5 against the stems thereof to readily sever the same. As the fruit falls from its branch, the same will be guided against the hooks, pins and guard walls to the tapering head member, 3, where it is conducted through the tubular member 1, to the hand of the operator. In view of the fact that the guard walls, pins, and hooks are covered with a soft material and inasmuch as the tubular member 1 is lined with a similar material, the fruit as it contacts with the parts just mentioned, will not be bruised. As the operator receives the fruit in his hand, the same is disposed in the sack carried by the other support at an adjacent point.

lFrom the foregoing description of the construction of my improved device, the operation thereof will be readily understood and it will be seen that I have provided a simple, inexpensive and eliicient means for carrying out the objects of the invention.

Vhile I have particularly described the elements best adapted to perform the functions set forth, it is obvious that various changes in form, proportion and in the minor details of construction may be resortedto without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the principles of the invention.

Having thus described this invention, what is claimed is 1. A fruit gatherer comprising a tubular member formed of telescoping sections adjustably secured together, the free end of the outer section being flared outwardly, a plurality of hooks carried on the last mentioned end of the tubular member and arranged in series thereon, guide pins carried on the last mentioned end of the tubular member between the series of hook members, and a pair of guard walls carried on the flared end of the tubular member on opposite sides of one of the series of hook niembers thereon, the outer edges of said walls extending beyond the hooks and beveled.

2. A fruit gatherer comprising a tubular member formed of telescoping sections adrality of hooks carried on said band and arranged in series thereon, guide pins also carried on said band between the series of hooks, said pins and hooks extending,` long- In testimony whereof I hereunto ax my tudnally of the tubular member, and a pair signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses. of angular guard Walls also carried on said band and extending longitudinally of the MICHIEL H' PATTON tubular member to afford a protection for Witnesses:

said hook members and also provide a guid- EDITH GEARY,

ing means for the fruit as the same s severed. ELSIE GEARY.

Copie o! this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the commissioner of Patents,

e Washington, D. C. 

